The Suffern Fire Department said when they responded to the fire on Wednesday on Washington Avenue, they encountered heavy fires and worked for more than three hours before the fire was out. The department was assisted by numerous neighboring fire departments.
The family, Debra McGhee, her brother and her three sons, 15, 22, and 24 years old, lost everything, including four of five family pets only weeks before the holidays, said a GoFundMe effort.
The lost pets included a dachshund, a husky-golden retriever mix and two cats. One of the cats survived the blaze that may have been started by a space heater.
Now, the family is in need of funds and everything else that it takes to live a life. The friends who started the page are hoping that residents from across the area will step up and donate.
"If you can find it within your heart any amount will help," the GoFundMe page said.
The fire department said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
Help can also be offered through the All Souls Community Church on Washington Avenue in Suffern.
To date, $5,668 has been raised. To donate, click here.
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